Laurel Highlands Portrait Session |Norah Lucia |

Hands down, one of my favorite sessions, to date! Jaime of Lonigro Photography and her sweet husband, Tony, welcomed a baby girl this spring and because Jaime has been one of my biggest cheerleaders, constantly encouraging and influencing me to chase my dreams, I just knew that I had to gift this sweet couple their first family portrait session. In years past, Jaime has collaborated with me on a few shoots and I couldn’t think of a proper way to thank her so pictures with their new little love seemed like a good way to show my appreciation for all her hard work.

Ya’ll Meet Norah Lucia Lonigro! This gorgeous little babe made her way into the world 2 weeks early with a full head of hair and the prettiest blue eyes you ever did see.  Weighing in at 7 lbs 7 oz, this little angel made her way earthside on April 27th and changed the Lonigros’ hearts forever.

Just shy of her 1 month, Tony, Jaime and little Nori met me at Keystone State Park for a quick photo shoot near the beach area. Unlike our fall minis where everything was vibrant with oranges and reds, the spring in southwestern PA had to offer bright greens and pretty posies as a backdrop for this family session. Though it was midday and the humidity was about to spike, this crew made the most of our short time together.

Because Jaime is in the portrait photography business, she knows how to get the most from a session and trusted me when I directed them to a plethora of locations around the property. These guys are outdoorsy to say the least. In fact, I am kind of hoping we all get to vacation sometime together because we dream alike and love the wild outdoors! Plus, I have a feeling that Lucy and Norah would have a blast together!

Norah slept the entire shoot. Not even once did she give me a glimpse of her baby blues but she peacefully dreamt in the warm weather and both new Mom and Dad were thankful for a little quiet time! That newborn life can be rough but these guys seem to have such a graceful grasp on the hustle that comes with having a third wheel! Jaime looked stunning, rocking that new Mama glow, the most perfect color red dress and her hair was beyond on point. In fact, I had a hard time believing that she hadn’t been to a salon that morning because let me tell you, I did not look that good when Lucy was 4 weeks old. Tony is one lucky guy!

We ended the shoot by letting little miss Nori don an adorable gray turban bow and it was insanely cute. I am just so proud and so happy for this little family. I’ve known Tony since he was a kid playing midget football for my dad. He even brought photo evidence along. Seeing these two become parents and following their journey to parenthood has been nothing short of beautiful. I am so happy for the these guys and I wish you all the most congratulations. Soak it all in because it flys by fast! Kiss Norah for me and let her know that I am already dreaming up play dates!

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Laurel Highlands Portrait Session | The Marmo Family|

Up next on the blog is another family from our Laurel Highlands Mini Sessions in Pennsylvania. This adorable family of three took time out of their holiday on Memorial Day to meet up for a quick shoot at Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg, PA. Meet the Marmo Family!

Could these guys be any cuter? Dad, Mike, is rocking that sleeve, Mama, Angel, has the biggest and brightest smile and their sweet baby girl, Penelope, is full of character. In fact, this little gal had the sniffles on the day of their shoot but still showed up smiling and making kissy faces at Mama and Daddy.

We met at Twin Lakes because I just love the variety of florals that are available there during the Spring. We ran across mountain laurels, rhododendrons and even hibiscus trees during our trek through the park. Spring sessions are all about capturing those sweet moments amongst the gorgeous flora that Pennsylvania has to offer and this session was just that. Angel and Mike took turns making funny faces at Penelope to try and make her laugh. They threw her in the air and gave her a ton of hugs and kisses.

After a short drive to the other side of the lake, Angel pulled out this sweet baby blanket with pretty botanicals on it and we gave Penelope her stuffed mouse toy so I could try to capture a few of just baby girl. I love how the stuffed mouse will forever be in these photos. It not only helps put a timestamp on Penelope’s age but it will forever be a memento of her favorite play toy. Because trust, she was not letting that mouse go once we handed it to her.

We ended the Marmo Session by just letting Mommy and Daddy love on their little girl. Daddy sang some pretty creative songs and Mama tried not to laugh at his version of the lyrics. Though she had a runny nose, Penelope gave us all the smiles she could and was such a trooper throughout the entire shoot. Mommy and Daddy tried their best to get little P to give us her signature “kissy face”. But, no such luck. At just over 30 minutes, baby girl was done and that was a ok with us. As you can tell, we had already captured a ton by then. But…

just to make sure we knew she was done, Penelope stood up in protest and let a few big fat alligator tears roll down her sweet cheeks. Though terribly pitiful and a little heartbreaking, these ended up being my favorites from their session. Why you might ask? Because just look at how cute she is. Even with a frown on her face, this kid just might be the cutest babe ever.

Huge thank you to the Marmo Family for trusting me to capture this sweet memory for you. I hope to see you all again soon. Play dates for Lucy and Penelope soon?

 

To book your unique family portrait session, email therustienailhead@gmail.com. My job is to document your moments, big or small and I aim to hit the nail on the head every time.

Laurel Highlands Newborn Session | Meet Eliza |

Meet the newest member of the Tetkoski Crew, Eliza! This gang is no stranger to the blog. You might remember them from their first daughter’s (Ellie) Newborn Session or their Family Session with their sweet cousins while they were visiting in Texas. I was so happy to hear that their brand new addition arrived shortly before my arrival in Pennsylvania and that we would get a chance to meet this brand spanking new Family of 4!

At Day 15, Eliza is adjusting well. Like any second child, she is adapting to her new surroundings and all the hugs from her big sister. I arrived at the Tetkoski home and Ellie made sure to introduce me to her new baby and to show me that they would indeed be wearing matching dresses for their first photo shoot as a Family of 4.

While Mama fed Eliza, Daddy, Ellie and I headed out to their big and bright backyard for a few shots of Daddy with his firstborn. They have the most incredible backyard and loads of beautiful landscaping so this location would be a breeze for a backdrop.

One thing I love about coming home for Spring Minis in the Laurel Highlands is just how green everything is and their gorgeous backyard was no exception. Daddy kept joking that we were shooting in front of the weeds but I told him to just trust me. And, I am glad he did because this green against Daddy’s blue shirt, Mama’s glow and her ginger hair mixed in with two adorable babes made for some magical images!

Like any firstborn, Ellie sure does love her baby sister but she might be having a little trouble adjusting to sharing Mama with her new bestie. As we ran around the yard, I made sure to capture a few of Mama with her baby girl to allow Ellie some one on one time with her #1 Mama. They picked dandelions and blew wishes into the wind. Ellie was over the moon!

And, of course we had to get a few of Jesse with his sweet little love, Eliza. She seemed so very comfortable lying in Daddy’s arms. She kept smiling in her sleep and when she grabbed onto his finger, I was more than happy to capture such a sweet image of this baby doll and her Dad.

Because we had captured Ellie’s Newborn Portraits at their home as well, I made sure to recreate a few of the photos from that session. Above, that’s Carly’s Spring baby, Eliza, on the left and her Fall baby, Ellie, on the right. How sweet is that???

The humidity was getting the best of all of us and we decided so head indoors to Eliza could have the spotlight for a bit. At 15 days young, this sweet baby girl didn’t make a peep throughout her session. She just laid on her favorite blanket and gazed at the natural light streaming through their back door. It was the perfect spot to capture those blue eyes and keep little missy nice and warm! We captured her toes and her “guns” and even a few sweet moments with her big sister.

I have always said that my favorite part of this job is watching these little beans grow up and seeing this family expand brings my heart so much joy. Congratulations to the Tetkoski’s on their bundle of joy! I hope to see you guys for play dates soon!!

 

If you would like to book your unique Lifestyle Newborn Session or even a Fresh 48 contact Angelina at therustienailhead@gmail.com. I love capturing those first raw and real moments for families that reflect the miracle that is bringing a new baby home!

 

 

DFW Family Portrait Session: The Eidson Boys and their Mama

With Mother’s Day coming up in just a few short days, I knew that this session would be the perfect one to share in celebration. Kristi and her sweet boys, Jack and Miles, have been coming back every April for photos with The Rustie Nail and this year was no exception. Just in time to celebrate Mother’s Day, these guys put on their best shirts and biggest smiles so their Mama could document a memory of just how little or big they are!

 

Each year, Kristi and I discuss a different vision and try to bring that to life. One year, we took the boys to play in the mud with their Tonka trucks by the Trinity River and last year, we waded in the shores of Grapevine Lake. This year, we would tackle the Fort Worth Stockyards and then a more laidback shoot at Doc’s Record Store in Fort Worth.

 

We met early in the morning on Good Friday. Lucky for us, we beat the Easter crowd and had a good portion of the Stockyards to ourselves! Kristi and the boys danced their way down the cobblestone paved corridors and boys took turns riding mechanical bulls, gazing through store windows at the barrels full of candy and hugging on their sweet Mama.

 

We made our way around the old cow pens and took some time to just let the kids run amuck. Thankfully, Kristi is a boy mom and by that I mean, she doesn’t sweat the small stuff. She let them run and play, not worrying about if they would wrinkle their shirts or fall and skin their knees. She could have cared less so long as they were both smiling and happy. She seriously is the coolest Mom y’all. When faced with a scheduling conflict because of my daughter, Kristi suggested I bring her along and her family loved on sweet Lucy throughout the entire shoot.

 

Towards the end of our shoot at the Stockyards, I made sure to snap a few pictures of both the boys with their mom individually. Jack is her big boy. Strong and tall, he made sure to wrap her up in a big hug and spin her around the room. I am still in awe of how grown up Jack is. Miles, on the other hand, is all too happy to play the part of Mama’s baby. He was so content in his mother’s arms and it was the sweetest moment. Case in point, I watch her Snapchats sometimes and Miles can be seen serenading his Mama with the cutest little songs.

 

We moved onto our second location, Doc’s Record Store in Fort Worth, Texas and Kristi’s sweet sister, Claire, made an appearance in this set! The sisters tried on fur coats and danced around in the vintage backdrop. I was in love with that pink wall and the records hanging up behind them. The Sade and Killers shirts were an all too cool look as well. The boys even jumped in on the fun. Jack was rocking a Bowie shirt and Miles his Rolling Stone tee. Paired with their vans, these guys looked every bit the part of Funkytown locals.

 

One of my favorite parts about this hidden gem near Montgomery Plaza is that Doc’s has an amazing back alley full of graffitied artwork. I had mentioned this to Kristi during the planning stage and with that, she was sold. We headed back there and the boys were in awe of the local talent.

 

Both Jack and Miles killed their individual shoot times. They were perfect gentleman, even offering to push Lucy around in her stroller since she made an appearance for this shoot, and made sure to bring their A -game when it came time to pose for images. I mean, how cool are they rocking those shades and the rock n roll tee shirts? As usual, I had a blast with this gang and I look forward to seeing them again!

 

PA Holiday Portrait Session: The Powder Mill Village

This sweet family is back on the blog and I could not be happier about it. They recently welcomed a baby girl and I was so excited to get a glimpse at their new addition!

For the third year in a row, I had the opportunity to shoot their session right in their backyard. These guys live in a cozy little corner of the Powder Mill Village area and I just love shooting  at this location. Each year, they surprise me with a different backdrop and each year, it just gets more beautiful. I can totally see why they chose to set up camp in the mountains!

Their eldest baby girl has grown so much and watching her grow over the years is one of the best parts of my job. Somehow, she gets more adorable year after year. This time, I got to see her in a brand new role, big sister! She was definitely a fan of her mini-me!

In the past, we have shot at night time and ended up with some amazingly moody winter shots (check out that session here) but this time, we chose to shoot in the morning and we got a completely different look and feel for their session. It was vibrant and bright and simply gorgeous out!

Their first request of the day blew me away. Their neighbor, a close friend, had recently passed away and they wanted to get photos taken on his front porch with a teddy bear that was made from one of his flannel shirts. I could have cried it was so sweet. And the house was the absolute perfect place to start our shoot. It was a small, white cottage tucked away in a quaint corner of the village.

We spent the better part of the morning walking around their property before taking off for the Powder Mill Village Nature Reserve. As usual, this sweet family blew me away with their appreciation for Mother Nature! I am thinking play dates for their sweet girls and our little Lucy ASAP!

Laurel Highlands Holiday Portrait Session: The Yetter Family

 

Gosh, I am just loving all these sessions and I have just been dying to share some sneak peeks of this crew! I met the Yetter Family at Linn Run State Park in Rector, Pennsylvania during the peak of the fall foliage and it was pure magic!

Mama, Jess, had reached out about booking her session and mentioned how important it would be to bring their pup, Duke, along for their shoot. I knew right away that Linn Run would be the perfect place to let her little guy, Grayson and his sweet pup play!

As I expected, this gang showed up in the most perfectly coordinated outfits. Burgundy has really been the “in” color and I am not complaining. I may or may not have used this session as a little inspiration for my own family shoot. I couldn’t resist using a splash of that wine color in our baby girl’s headband. It looked so good on Jess and her little guy looked too cute in his flannel!

Truth be told, I was a little worried that this area would be past the fall foliage peak but when I arrived I was over the moon! As you can see in the photos, the colors were so vibrant. I quickly scoped out the best places to set up shop and anxiously awaited the Yetters arrival. The backdrop for their photos had me a bit giddy!

We spent the majority of their shoot just walking the trails and offering Duke the pup treats that his Mama brought for bribes! It was a beautiful fall day with lots of sunshine and even more smiles! Heck, even Duke was on his best behavior!

The Yetter Family was a blast to hang with and I am so glad I had the opportunity to shoot their holiday portraits this year. This crew has been living out of state for quite some time now but this will be their first Pennsylvania Christmas with their little guy, Grayson so let’s hope they have the happiest holiday!

Laurel Highland Holiday Portrait Sessions: The Dlugos Family

The Dlugos gang is back on the blog! Last time we photographed with these kiddos, we met at Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg, PA for their Spring Portrait Session. Needless to say, they killed it and now they are back for a little fun in the fall foliage!

This time around, we met at Keystone State Park for a stroll through the woods and a little fun on the beach area! All of them have grown quite a bit since their last session but I was most shocked by the fact that little Addie is walking!!! Actually, if I am being honest, she is running!

I just love seeing how much the kids change in such a short amount of time. It is so crazy! I asked each of the kids to bring along one of their favorite toys and It really made my day to see how each of them lit up when they got to show theirs off. Addie had a baby doll, Max & Mason brought hockey sticks and little Jackson brought along  the sweetest stuffed puppy dog!

As usual, the Dlugos Gang were polite and kind and most of all, they listened to their Mama. They were helpful to one another and followed every direction I gave them. I know I shouldn’t be but I am always amazed by this family. I mean, 4 kids, a Wolfpack of kiddos and they all are so well behaved!

This tree stump photo ended up being my favorite out of the bunch. This tree was seriously massive and the kids really enjoyed climbing all over it. I seriously love Addie’s little Mary Janes and I am so glad they snuck their way into a few of the photos!

As for this picture, we just had to recreate it! During their last session, we had all the kids lie on a family heirloom blanket for a similar photo. This time, each kiddo brought their hand made (by Grandma) baby blankets and we laid them down together so they could each lie on their own blanket.

We ended their shoot by laying down their blankets in the sand and letting Mama join in for a few photos! We just missed the fall colors in southwestern PA but this group more than made up for it with their colorful personalities! I love getting to hang with this wild bunch and I cannot wait for our next chance to get together!

Stay tuned for more behind the scenes looks into our Holiday Portrait Sessions in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania! We’ve got lots of cuties on the way!

 

Laurel Highlands Holiday Portraits: The Shipley Family

We’re back!!  I recently took an extended leave from photography to welcome our new baby, a little girl named Lucy, but we are officially back and the holiday portrait season is in full swing! To usher in the end of my maternity leave, I choose to offer a limited number of Mini Sessions during our visit to Pennsylvania and let me tell you, those sessions did not disappoint. To kick off the holiday season, The Shipley Family is back up on the blog.

I was so happy to have this sweet family back in front of my camera mainly because this time, Dad, Jake, got to join in on the fun and the kids were so excited to have both Mama and Daddy there for a fun day of running around at the park!

This session was also a whole lot of fun because little Olivia just turned 1`the week before and Andrew had just celebrated his 3rd birthday! It feels like just yesterday that we were shooting this little man’s 2nd birthday photos!

Last year, we met for Andrew’s 2nd Birthday Photos and all that chasing around put his Mama into labor. The Shipley’s welcomed their sweet baby girl just days after our shoot! I was so sad to have missed it but their sweet Mama made sure I got to meet her little love during our Spring Mini Sessions and little Liv was just as cute as promised.

This time, we met at Keystone State Park in New Derry, Pennsylvania for a quick shoot with the whole gang! Mama, Emily, may have provided a few bribes to keep the little ones spirits up but otherwise, these guys were perfect!

We caught the tail end of the fall foliage in southwestern Pennsylvania and with the change of season brought the chilly weather! Thankfully, this gang came prepared. The Shipleys all wore warm coats and comfy boots to run around in!

We ended our shoot by setting a blanket down in the sand and letting this group just love on each other! As usual, these kiddos were full of personality, just how I like em! To check our their Spring Mini Session, head here. I love seeing how much the kids have changed in just a short 6 months since their last portrait session!

I had a blast with the Shipley Family and I look forward to seeing them again in the future! Stay tuned for more behind the scenes from our Pennsylvania Holiday Portrait Sessions!

Fort Worth Lifestyle Portrait Session: The Tetkoski & Mosley Families

I had a really fun opportunity over Mother’s Day Weekend that I have been dying to share with you all! A former client from a session in Pennsylvania made their way down to Texas to visit a brand spanking new family member and I had the chance to document all the feel-good vibes at this family reunion.

Awhile back, I had the opportunity to photograph the Tetkoski Family shortly after they welcomed their newborn daughter, Ellie. Their adorable family portrait session can be found here for those who want a sneak peek at Ellie’s Newborn Session.

Dad, Jesse, has a sister, Alyssa, who lives here in Fort Worth who just had her first baby, a little boy named, Jack. It was past time these 2 baby cousins met so the Tetkoskis made their way down to the Lonestar state to meet the newest addition to the family.

Jesse’s sister, Alyssa, and her husband, RJ, invited me to their home for the chance to document these two little ones’ first encounter and it was beyond heart warming. Their pride and joy, Baby Jack, was a perfect angel while we took pictures on the front porch. Just look at how handsome this little guy is.

I managed to get the whole gang out front for a few pictures of everyone all together and we even snagged a few smiles from the little ones. I even got a few of the new Aunt and Uncle holding their sweet babes.

It was one of the first really hot days here in North Texas and I thought it would be best if we brought the babies indoors for the rest of the shoot. Everyone gathered on the couch for a few more family shots but not before I snagged a few of just the Mamas and their little ones. It was Mother’s Day weekend after all!

Onto the nursery pictures…This airplane themed nursery was full of so many perfect details. From the tiny Red Rider Wagon to the cow jumping over the moon on the night stand, I was getting so many ideas for my own baby’s nursery.

Both RJ and Alyssa lovingly doted on their little guy. It was so nice to not only meet these guys but to meet them as a Family of 3. They were beyond sweet when they invited me into their home and both Mom and Dad were such troopers during the entirety of the shoot. They followed my directions and seemingly made my job a piece of cake.

I am beyond thankful for this opportunity and I love that I got to be there for this sweet family reunion. I hope Jack and Ellie remain the best of friends and that there are more fun occasions to celebrate with this gang in the future.

PA Portrait Session: the Greece Family

Hey guys! We’re back with more of our Portrait Sessions from our Pennsylvania Trip. The wild and crazy Greece Family is no stranger to the blog. In fact, I had the opportunity to photograph these guys twice last year. Our first portrait session took place at Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve in Latrobe, PA.  You can check out all the adorable photos from their summer session here.

This time around, we met at Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg, PA for a huge family shoot. My Uncle Mark (Elliana and Jake’s Grandpa) had reached out about getting new Family Portraits taken of their whole crew and I was happy to oblige. I will soak up any chance I get to snuggle my precious Goddaughter and her big brother!

I knew this bunch would be a breeze. My Uncle Mark and Aunt Jackie have spent the last 40 some odd years putting their hearts and souls into being the best parents possible and it is such a joy to see them take on the challenge of being Grandparents! Needless to say, they’re naturals. Both Jake and Ellie wouldn’t know what to do without their Mimi and Popop.

We managed to snag a few photos where everyone was looking at the camera but I really fell in love with the one of the whole crew looking at Jake. He just has the biggest smile on his face. It was so wonderful to see them all interacting together and I cannot believe we fit all their BIG HEADS in one shot.

Next up, Uncle Mark and Aunt Jackie. I am always over the moon when Grandma and Grandpa want to jump in on some photos so I made sure to get some of just the two of them together. I had them both giggling when I told them to pose “prom-style”. These were by far my favorite images of the bunch. I even cried a little bit. They’ve been through a lifetime of ups and downs and they’ve still got each other to lean on after all these years.

Aunt Jackie was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get any photos of them with their Grandchildren because Jake and Ellie are movers and shakers. With that in mind, I told them to just play with them instead of posing them and I love the way these turned out. The three images above are a true testament to what a day with their grandparents look like; a whole lotta love and even more laughs!

Last but not least, the best picture, these 2 goofballs. They wanted a photo of them posing like the Stepbrothers DVD cover and how special are they?!? We call this “Real Brothers”! I always have so much fun with these guys! We’ve spent a lifetime growing up together and I love knowing that we will always have each other!